Turkey will not change its position on opening of its border with Armenia, Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee Aydin Mirzazade said when commenting on the petition launched on the US President Obama Administration's web page calling to open the Turkish-Armenian border at least for the refugees from Syria, Trend says.

Though 20 years have passed since the closure of the border and the governments in Turkey have changed, the position on this issue has not been and will not be changed, Mirzazade said. 

He pointed out that a certain group of Armenia regularly raises the issue of opening of the Turkish- Armenian border, however, it is nothing but an initiative. He said that Turkey has a democratic society and the issue of opening of the Turkish-Armenian border may be introduced for discussion, but Mirzazade does not think that this issue may be widely supported. 

The MP thinks that the policy conducted by Armenia has a negative effect on Armenia itself; therefore, one can say that no such initiative will be successful.

For its part, the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) of Turkey reported that there is no need for move of Syrian refugees from Turkey to Armenia, and today it is impossible to open the Turkish-Armenian border for that purpose. AFAD said that the needs of the Syrian refugees in Turkey are satisfied by Turkey and international structures.     

To remind, earlier a petition was launched on the US President Obama Administration's web page calling to open the Turkish-Armenian border. The petition calls on the government of Turkey to open its border with Armenia for refugees from Syria. The petition says that more than 60.000 people have been killed in the war in Syria.  500.000 refugees have escaped from war and death... But many millions are unable to do that. Only few air companies still fly there and tickets are strongly limited. Mostly, people escape from Syria by buses and cars. There are 200.000 ethnic Armenians living in Syria and most of them want to escape to Armenia where they can feel safe, comfortable, find a job, a place to live and go to schools. The road from Syria to Armenia goes through Turkey, which closed its border with Armenia in 1993. It creates a big problem for Armenian refugees. Thus, the organizers kindly ask to call Turkey to open the land
border with Armenia (at least, for refugees) without any preconditions. There shouldn't be closed borders in the 21-st century, the petition says.

 One cannot consider the forthcoming presidential elections in Armenia absolutely uninteresting at least for the reason that the ex-premier Hrant Bagratyan, ex-foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian and the active advocates of Armenia's independence Paruyr Hayrikyan are running in the race, Vardan Bostanjyan, former Armenian MP, member of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), said at today's press conference.    

He believes that these names inspire hope for a certain liveliness in the presidential race. In the meantime, Bostanjyan does not consider the specified candidates to be serious competitors for the incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan. "The President of Armenia is a significant personality. With an immense experience in the key posts, Serzh Sargsyan has repeatedly found itself in the most complicated and sometimes hopeless situations since 1988 but has always overcome them", said Bostanjyan.

To note, during a press conference in Feb 2012, Vardan Bostanjyan said that the PAP had no reasons to fail to support Sargsyan's candidacy at the presidential elections. According to the mass media, this statement by Bostanjyan closed his way to the National Assembly of the 5th convocation - his name was not included in the PAP's proportional list during the May 2012 parliamentary elections.

The forces in the Armenian Parliament have refused to run in the presidential race as a result of behind-the-scene arrangements with the authorities, Manvel Sargsyan, Director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies, said at today's press conference. 

He thinks it is strange that on the one hand, all the forces have refused to take part in the race (ARF Dashnaktsutyun, Prosperous Armenia Party, Armenian National Congress), explaining their refusal by their reluctance to participate in the performance called "elections", and on the other hand, these forces have been cooperating with the incumbent authorities for many years. "It is not clear whether they have just understood the senselessness of these processes and rationality has just got the best of it or there are much deeper reasons", he said. Sargsyan himself is inclined to consider this boycott as a consequence of a deal.   

He thinks that this deal has led to the collapse faced by the political field of Armenia, as there is no force capable to be a counterweight to the power. The expert believes that such a political monopoly is a serious threat, even for the power itself. "The Armenian society has remained face to face with the power and feels ill at ease at the moment", he said.

 Armenia should get rid of the "triumvirate" of the three presidents: Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. It is necessary to put an end to their epoch and find new leaders, says Aram Sargsyan, Leader of Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA).

He told media Wednesday that Armenia needs a new stage of political development, which requires new quality political figures. Sargsyan believes that there is relevant potential in the country. 

The politician considers the upcoming presidential election quite strange, as the relatively strong political figures having their political teams do not participate in the presidential race. Instead, he said, some unknown persons having no experience in politics claim such a serious position as the position of the president.

To recall, out of 15 presidential candidates, two are nominated by the political parties: incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan from the Republican Party and former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan from the Liberty Party. All the remaining are self-nominated candidates:  Leader of the Union for National Self- Determination Party Paruyr Hayrikyan, Leader of Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian,  Advisor for Political Issues of the Refugees and the International Law Civil
Society Network, ex-foreign minister of NKR Arman Melikyan, a member of Prosperous Armenia Party Ruben Ayvazyan, non-party man Taron Abrahamyan, Leader of the Progressive Socialist Party Robert Aharonyan,  Director of Hay Radio Andreas Ghukasyan, unemployed ethnographer Vardan Sedrakyan, Head of Kashatagh NGO Robert Simonyan, pensioner Pavlik Sargsyan, unemployed Mher Hayrapetyan, and head of the NAtional Press Club Narine Mkrtchyan. The elections will be held on Feb 18 2013.

If no second round is required in the upcoming presidential election in Armenia, it will mean that there is no democracy in the country, says Paruyr Hayrikyan, candidate for president of Armenia, Leader of the Union for National Self -Determination Party.  He told media on Wednesday that the incumbent authorities may falsify the election outcome and some pre-election bribes have already been given to the people with disabilities. The candidate said that he will support the opposition candidate with the most realistic program if he fails to reach the second round of election.  As regards his serious rivals in the presidential race,
Hayrikyan said that most of the candidates are the friends who forgot the past rather than rivals.

"Hrant Bagratyan, Raffi Hovannisian and Serzh Sargsyan, probably, forgot that yet not so long ago they worked against me in a team under chairmanship of Levon Ter-Petrosyan. So, speaking of their rivalry:" Hayrikyan said.

Hayrikyan was displeased with Heritage Party Leader Raffi Hovannisian's statement saying that the key rivals are Serzh Sargsyan and Raffi Hovannisian. "I think it is hard to imagine Armenia without Hayrikyan. Armenia must become united," Hayrikyan said.

In the meanwhile, another candidate for president Aram Haroutiunyan doubts that the incumbent president will get 50% of the votes. He believes that not all the votes that were given to the Republican Party of Armenia during the past parliamentary elections will be given to the incumbent president. The heavy socio-economic situation in the country is another obstacle to that, he said.  Haroutiunyan urged all the candidates to reach an agreement to withdraw their candidatures a few days become the election in order Serzh Sargsyan fails to retain power legitimately.  The politician is sure that there will be a second round of election, but he has not yet decided whom to support. "For me it is a priority to overthrow the corrupt and anti-national authorities," he said.

To recall, out of 15 presidential candidates, two are nominated by the political parties: incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan from the Republican Party and former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan from the Liberty Party. All the remaining are self-nominated candidates:  Leader of the Union for National Self- Determination Party Paruyr Hayrikyan, Leader of Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian,  Advisor for Political Issues of the Refugees and the International Law Civil
Society Network, ex-foreign minister of NKR Arman Melikyan, a member of Prosperous Armenia Party Ruben Ayvazyan, non-party man Taron Abrahamyan, Leader of the Progressive Socialist Party Robert Aharonyan,  Director of Hay Radio Andreas Ghukasyan, unemployed ethnographer Vardan Sedrakyan, Head of Kashatagh NGO Robert Simonyan, pensioner Pavlik Sargsyan, unemployed Mher Hayrapetyan, and head of the NAtional Press Club Narine Mkrtchyan. The elections will be held on Feb 18 2013.  Seven out of 15 candidates have not yet paid the deposit for participation in the election and may be rejected by the
CEC.

Ukrainian AeroSvit Airlines has canceled the January 9 Kiev-Yerevan flight, the company's general representation in Armenia told ArmInfo.

The source reports that AeroSvit makes three flights a week to Armenia. For the first time, the flight to Yerevan for 3:50pm local time has been cancelled. The company has cancelled several flights also to other destinations due to financial problems. The following flight to Yerevan is scheduled for Sunday. It has not been cancelled yet, the representation reported.

The Yerevan Zvartnots Airport told ArmInfo that they have received no information from AeroSvit on cancellation of the flight. The airport press-service told ArmInfo that the Ukrainian company has current debts to Zvartnots Airport, but the latter has not suspended the flights of that airline.  

To note, AeroSvit has cancelled also the evening fights from Prague and Yerevan to Kiev. The flights from Astana, New York, Bangkok, Tel Aviv, and the flight from Kiev to Baku and Goa are being delayed.  Nevertheless, several planes of the company flew to Moscow on January 9.

Mass Media report on December 29, 2012, upon considering a petition from the foresaid air company, the Arbitration Court of the Kiev Region launched the court proceedings in the bankruptcy of the air company. Meanwhile, the court ruled to launch the procedure of the Aerosvit property crisis management. The court hearings are scheduled at a preparatory court session on January 23.

The debts of the air company to the creditors reached about 533 million dollars as of December 27, 2012. Hundreds of passengers are waiting for their flights at airports.

The air company Aerosvit - Ukrainian Airlines, which was founded in 1994, is based at the Kiev airport Borispol. This air carrier has the most sweeping network of regular international routes, serves over 80 flights in 34 countries, including five transcontinental nonstop airlines.

 Armenian bloggers urge Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to drop the idea of inviting Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO) Chairman Sheikh-ul-Islam Haji Allahshukur Pashazade to Nagorno Karabakh.

The bloggers say that Pashazade's visit to Artsakh will be "sacrilege." "His visit to our land will be disrespect for the memory of our compatriots who fell in the fight for our Motherland and the Christian Religion," bloggers write.

Earlier, at the request of Catholicos of All Amenians Karekin II, Head of the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan on behalf of Karekin II suggested Allahshukur Pashazadeh, who was on a visit to Georgia, to meet in Artsakh with participation of the two parties intellectuals.

Updated electoral registers are already available on the Armenian Police's official website, as well as on the Central Electoral Commission's website:  www.elections.am. 

Everyone who finds any inaccuracy in the electoral registers can apply to the Passport and Visa Service of Armenia or his territorial Passport and Visa Department before Feb 13 2013. The Passport and Visa Department is to study the application within 5 days, but 4 days before the elections and make the necessary amendments to the electoral register. It is noteworthy that www.elections.am offer also a search system, while www.police.am allows uploading the necessary
data. For more details, please call (+374)10- 53-32-73. 

Commenting on the given report, Secretary of Heritage Party Stepan Safaryan wrote on his Facebook page that the number of electors in Armenia has again increased by 25,000 people within the past 6 months. "It is connected either with import of a new group of electors in the country, or some electors reproduce as fast as bacteria despite the heavy social and economic situation in the country. No matter that the number of migrants from the country exceeds the number of immigrants. Take it lying down, people!" Safaryan wrote.

To recall, 2,482,593 voters were included in the electoral registers during May 6 parliamentary elections in Armenia amid 2,9 million people total population in the country.

 On Jan 10 Armenia will unilaterally lift visa requirements for EU citizens.

From now on they will be able to stay in Armenia without visa for 90 days a year. 

Armenia is the fourth former Soviet republic (after Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova) to have unilaterally lifted visa requirements for EU citizens.

Armenia has bilateral visa-free agreements with over 20 countries, including Georgia, Russia and most of the former Soviet republics.

To note, Armenia's Association Agreement with the EU implies relax visa requirements.

52% of people in Armenia are following the political developments in the country. 32% of them will take part in the Feb 18 presidential election. 28% have already decided who they will vote for, 24% are still hesitant, Director of Sociometer Center Aharon Adibekyan told journalists on Wednesday.

He said that 20.5% of those who have already decided who they will vote for will vote for current President Serzh Sargsyan, 5.5% for Raffi Hovhannisian, 1.5% for Paruyr Hayrikyan.

"I see no serious rival to President Sargsyan. Raffi Hovhannisian and Hrant Bagratyan will compete for the second place, Paruyr Hayrikyan will be the fourth. The others are just political clowns," Adibekyan said.

He expects Sargsyan to secure 72% of the votes, Hovhannisian will poll 20%, Hayrikyan 3%.

The survey was held among 1,420 people all over Armenia.

15 people are going to run in the presidential race: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, leader of Heritage party Raffi Hovhannisian, leader of Self-Determination Union Paruyr Hayrikyan, leader of National Accord party Aram Harutyunyan, former Foreign Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arman Melikyan, member of Prosperous Armenia Ruben Ayvazyan, non-partisan Taron Abrahamyan, leader of Progressive Socialist Party
Robert Aharonyan, political scientist Andrias Ghukasyan, historian Vartan Sedrakyan, head of Kashatagh NGO Robert Simonyan, pensioner Pavlik Sargsyan, unemployed Mher Hayrikyan and President of National Press Club Narine Mkrtchyan.

 A big road accident involving 10 cars took place in Ulnetsi Street in Yerevan on Wednesday morning.

The accident was caused by heavy snow. The police report injuries.

News photographer Gagik Shamshyan says that among the vehicles was the car of the Ambassador of Ukraine to Armenia.

A dismembered body of a man has been found not far from Dalma Garden Mall in Yerevan, the Armenian Police press-service reports.

By official reports, it was the body of Ara Hunanyan, at the age of 48, who had been missing since January 4. The Police are currently searching for the resident of the house, which the body was found near.

A criminal case has been initiated basing on Article 104.1 (murder). The body will be submitted to forensic examination.  Investigation is underway.

 Leader of the National Accord Party Aram Haroutiunyan, who was among the potential eight candidates for president of Armenia, who had not submitted the deposit payment receipt (in the amount of 8 million drams or some $20,000) earlier, finally paid the deposit on January 8, the CEC press-service reports.

To recall, only 8 of the 15 presidential contenders have paid the deposit for participation in the presidential election: incumbent president of Armenia, Leader of the Republican Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Leader of the Union for National Self-Determination Party Paruyr Hayrikyan, Leader of Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian, Leader of Liberty Party Hrant Bagratyan, Advisor for Political Issues of the Refugees and the International Law Civil Society Network, ex-foreign
minister of NKR Arman Melikyan, unemployed ethnographer Vardan Sedrakyan and Director of Hay Radio Andreas Ghukasyan. Earlier on Tuesday, at a session of the CEC many candidates who had not paid the necessary deposit protested against the given requirement and called it anti-constitutional. One of the candidates asked permission for not paying the necessary amount, as he is an unemployed. Nevertheless, the CEC announced that all the candidates have just 48 hours to pay the deposit; otherwise they will not be registered as candidates for president.

To recall, the presidential election in Armenia is scheduled for Feb 18.

Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 405,5 drams for 1 dollar, 530,5drams for 1 EUR and 13,3 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 407 drams for 1 dollar, 534 drams for 1 EUR and 13,34 drams for 1 Russian ruble.

 During the holiday season from 1 to 7 January South Caucasus Railway (SCR) carried more than 7.5 thousand passengers, the press service of the SCR told ArmInfo. During the celebrations passengers of the international trains Yerevan-Tbilisi-Yerevan were 560 people, and the intra trains transported more than 7 thousand people.

In the first days of New Year intra routes were especially popular. In particular, yesterday an additional train Gyumri-Yerevan was appointed to transport all passengers.

CJSC "SCR" keeps to its policy of consistently improving the quality of service and comfort for the passengers in local and international trains. That's why the Company repairs the rolling stock, expands the list of services, and increases the speed of trains.

CJSC "South Caucasian Railway" is a 100% subsidiary of JSC "Russian Railways" and provides concession management of Armenian railroads.  CJSC "Armenian Railways" was referred to the concession management to the company "SCR" according to the Concession Agreement signed on February 13, 2008. The term of the concession management is 30 years with possible extension for another 10 years.